Joel Embiid scores 23 points, has the big assist as 76ers beat Heat in play-in to earn No. 7 seed
Joel Embiid had 23 points, 15 rebounds and one huge assist to Kelly Oubre Jr. on a late go-ahead three-point play that led the 76ers to a 105-104 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament on Wednesday night.
Fox scores 30, Kings hand Rockets 14th straight loss 125-105
NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ DeโAaron Fox had 30 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings sent the Houston Rockets to their 14th consecutive loss, 125-105 on Thursday night. Sacramento never trailed after a 15-0 run early in the second quarter. โฆ Center Justin Patton picked up his fourth foul with 6:47 left in the second quarter. โฆ Sacramento was called for two shot clock violations in the second quarter.
NBA reveals All-Star skills, 3-point, dunk participants
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Golden Stateโs Stephen Curry and Phoenixโs Devin Booker have been 3-point champions at All-Star weekend before, and theyโll try to win that trophy again Sunday. The NBA revealed the 15 players Tuesday who will be taking part in the other on-court events besides the All-Star Game in Atlanta, with the overwhelming majority of them pulling double-duty between those competitions and the game itself. Theyโll be joined by Portlandโs Robert Covington, the only current NBA player who is a graduate of a historically Black college and university. It will be held at halftime of the All-Star Game, while the skills competition and 3-point contest will occur pregame. Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, San Antonio and Toronto have no one participating in All-Star night events.
Curry scores 30 after career night, Warriors beat Kings
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, shoots against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)SAN FRANCISCO โ Stephen Curry followed up his career-high 62 points a night earlier with another 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead the suddenly clicking Golden State Warriors past the Sacramento Kings 137-106 on Monday. The Kings, coached by former Warriors top assistant and Kerr close friend Luke Walton, dropped their third straight. Warriors: Golden State activated rookie Nico Mannion for his first career game, but fellow two-way player Juan Toscano-Anderson wasn't available. Warriors: Host the Clippers on Wednesday night in the first of two straight home games over three days vs. Los Angeles.
Wall, Rockets beat Kings 102-94; Harden sits with injury
Sacramento Kings' Buddy Hield (24) looks to pass ahead ofHouston Rockets' John Wall (1) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, in Houston. (Carmen Mandato/Pool Photo via AP)HOUSTON โ John Wall scored 28 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings 102-94 on Saturday despite playing without an injured James Harden. โI just put in a lot of hard work and dedication to get to this point," Wall said. The Rockets scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 92-81 with about 8ยฝ minutes left. Rockets: Houston hosts Dallas on Monday night and will play four of its next five games at home.
Into the unknown: NBA teams face concerns outside of bubble
The other six clubs exit World Disney World the same way as tourists who normally pack the place. Now its back to the real world, and the real world in 2020 is an unsettling place. Uncertainty awaits at the end of every season for teams that miss the playoffs. The coronavirus pandemic forces teams to wonder whether they will be safe, and when or where they might be back together again. NBA teams have been shielded for a little while, but the Pelicans, Kings and Wizards, and soon more teams, have lost that now.
Rivers has career-high 41 as Rockets down Kings 129-112
(AP) Austin Rivers scored a career-high 41 points off the bench and the Houston Rockets used a big third quarter to pull away and cruise to a 129-112 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. Rivers made six 3-pointers as Houston improved to 4-1 at Disney on a night the Rockets played a second straight game without Russell Westbrook, who has a bruised right quadriceps. The Kings fell to 1-5 in the bubble after being eliminated from playoff contention earlier Sunday when Portland beat the 76ers. Rivers made two free throws after that before the Kings used a 7-2 run, with 3s from Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield, to make it 102-88 with about 8 minutes to go. Kings: Play New Orleans on Tuesday night.
Kings' Barnes isn't at NBA restart, says he has coronavirus
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings became the latest NBA player to reveal that he has the coronavirus, making the announcement Tuesday and saying he has hopes to join his team for the leagues restart later this summer. Barnes is the only player who has started all 64 of the Kings games this season. Prior to the team leaving last week, I tested positive for Covid-19, Barnes wrote on social media. The league said Monday that 19 players tested positive during in-market testing after July 1, those tests being done before teams began arriving at Disney on July 7. Houstons Russell Westbrook said Monday that he has tested positive and has yet to join the Rockets at Disney.
No. 25 Texas overwhelms No. 3 Oklahoma late for 76-63 win
AUSTIN, Texas โ Isaiah Taylor scored 18 points and No. 25 Texas overwhelmed Oklahoma over the final 7 minutes to beat the third-ranked Sooners 76-63 on Saturday. Buddy Hield, a leading candidate for national player of the year, scored 33 points for Oklahoma. Oklahoma (22-6, 10-6) went nearly 7 minutes without scoring as the Texas run cranked up. Hield didn't break the Oklahoma scoring drought until making a 3-pointer in the final minute.